The objective of this study was to estimate the results ofthe upland rice {Oryza sativa L.) breeding program conducted by the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa) and collaborators over the period of 1984 to 2009 covering 25 annual steps of improvement. The best lines generated by this program are evaluated in "value for cultivation and use (VCU) trials." This study used data from 603 VCU trials conducted in seven Brazilian States. The group of lines entering VCU in each year was faken as a sample of the elife program in that year. Best linear unbiased estimates (BLUEs) of the means of groups were computed, and the regression of the BLUEs on years was taken as an estimate of the efficiency of the breeding program.

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Formulation of docetaxel (DOC), a hydrophobic anticancer drug, was successfully achieved in poly(gamma-benzyl L-glutamate)-block-hyaluronan polymersomes using a simple and reproducible nanoprecipitation method. The prepared DOC loaded polymersomes (PolyDOC) was stable either in solution or in a lyophilized form, and showed controlled release behaviour over several days. PolyDOC showed high in vitro toxicity after 24 h in MCF-7 and U87 cells compared to free DOC. Biodistribution data demonstrated that (99m)Tc labelled PolyDOC t(1/2) and MRT significantly increased compared to a DOC solution (DS). In addition, PolyDOC uptake in Ehrlich Ascites Tumor (EAT) tumor bearing mice was larger at each time point compared to DS, making such a polymer vesicle formulation an efficient drug nanocarrier for improved DOC cancer therapy.

Resumo -A coleção de germoplasma de arroz da Embrapa consiste aproximadamente de 10.000 acessos. O objetivo desse trabalho foi estabelecer a Coleção Nuclear (CN) dessa coleção utilizando as informações e dados disponí-veis sobre seus acessos. A estratégia CN foi introduzida no manejo de recursos genéticos vegetais com o principal objetivo de ampliar e sistematizar o uso desses recursos. Uma CN deve ser selecionada procurando reter a variabilidade genética existente na coleção inteira (CI) com um mínimo de redundância. Os acessos da coleção de arroz foram classificados em três estratos: a) variedades tradicionais do Brasil (VT); b) linhagens/ cultivares melhoradas do Brasil (LCM); e c) linhagens/cultivares introduzidas (LCI). As variedades tradicionais foram ainda classificadas segundo o sistema de cultivo (terras altas, várzeas e facultativo). Os três estratos foram representados na Coleção Nuclear, mas ênfase maior foi dada às variedades tradicionais, que constituíram 308 acessos. Os acessos foram alocados para cada sistema de cultivo, proporcionalmente ao produto do logarítmo do número de variedades tradicionais pelo índice de Shannon (medida de diversidade) de cada um deles. A seleção dos acessos foi feita com o auxilio do Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG). A CN brasileira de arroz está formada por 550 acessos Termos para indexação: Oryza sativa, SIG, diversidade genética, recursos genéticos, terras altas, várzeas. Constructing a rice core collection for BrazilAbstract -The Rice Germplasm Collection of Embrapa consists of approximately 10,000 accessions. This study aimed to establish a core collection using the currently available information data for those accessions. The strategy Core Collection (CN) was introduced in the management of plant genetic resources with the main purpose of improving the use of these resources. CN should be selected in order to preserve the genetic variability of the whole collection (CI), with minimum redundancy. The accessions within the rice collection were classified into three strata: a) landraces from Brazil (VT); b) breeding materials from Brazil (LCM); and c) introductions (LCI). The landraces were further classified according to crop system (uplands, lowlands and facultative). These three strata were represented in the Core Collection, but more emphasis was considered in representing the landraces, which are represented by 308 accessions. The accessions were allocated, for each crop system, proportionally to the product of the logarithm of the number of landraces by the Shannon Diversity Index (a measure of genetic diversity) within each crop system. Curators and breeders, supported by a Geographical Information System (GIS) made the selection of the accessions. The final Brazilian rice Core Collection consists of 550 accesses.Index terms: Oryza sativa, GIS, genetic diversity, genetic resources, uplands, lowlands. IntroduçãoO arroz (Oryza sativa L.) é cultivado em todos os continentes, sendo um alimento nutritivo na dieta de mais da metade da população mundial. Foi d...

We used 13 microsatellite marker loci to determine the genetic diversity of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) grown in home gardens in two Chibchan Amerindian reserves in Costa Rica. We compared the levels of genetic diversity in the reserves with that of commercial varieties typically cultivated in Costa Rica. We found high levels of genetic diversity among cassava plants. Overall, 12 of the 13 loci examined were polymorphic in each Amerindian reserve (P = 92.3). Moreover, we found 36 alleles in the Coto Brus Reserve and 33 in the Talamanca Reserve. In the commercial varieties only nine loci were polymorphic (P = 69.2), and we only found 23 alleles. Heterozygosity was high for all groups of cassava (Coto Brus, Talamanca, and commercial varieties), but it was higher among the commercial varieties. The levels of heterozygosity and allele diversity indicate that there is significant genetic diversity in the home gardens that we examined. Another indication of the high diversity found in these gardens is the number of distinct multilocus genotypes, 28 at Coto Brus and 19 at Talamanca. There was also more than one distinct multilocus genotype found within the commercial varieties, as three were found in Valencia and four in Manyi. Our data also revealed low levels of genetic differentiation between the three groups of cassava (F st = 0.03), and Nei's genetic distances ranged from 0.0167 to 0.0343. In addition, F estimates (F is and F it ) indicate excess heterozygotes, both at the subpopulation and the population level. A hierarchical analysis of the genetic variation revealed that variation between sampling locations within each of the three groups of cassava was larger than that between groups (Theta S = 0.0775 and Theta P = 0.0204, respectively). The variety Manyi was the group genetically most distant from all others. We discuss the consequences of these findings for in situ conservation of genetic resources.

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-The objective of this work was to evaluate the resistance spectra of six elite breeding lines of rice, developed for improved yield and grain quality, in inoculation tests in the greenhouse and in the field. Forty-six isolates of Pyricularia grisea collected from the cultivar Primavera, 31 from the cultivar Maravilha and 19 from six elite breeding lines, totaling 96 were utilized for inoculations. Out of 11 international and 15 Brazilian pathotypes, IC-1, IB-9, and BD-16, respectively, were identified as most frequent isolates collected from the cultivar Primavera. The isolates retrieved from Maravilha belong to four international and 11 Brazilian pathotypes, the predominant ones being IB-9 and IB-49 and BB-1 and BB-21, respectively. Lines CNA s 8711 and CNA s 8983 showed resistant reaction to all test isolates from Maravilha, while CNA s 8983 was susceptible to three isolates of Primavera pertaining to the pathotype IC-1. A majority of isolates exhibiting compatible reaction to Primavera were incompatible to Maravilha and vice-versa. Field assessment of rice blast utilizing the area under disease progress curve as a criterion for measuring disease severity showed significant differences among the six breeding lines. The isolates of P. grisea exhibiting differential reaction on breeding lines can be utilized in pyramiding resistance genes in new upland rice cultivars.Index terms: Oryza sativa, pathotypes, physiologic races, rice blast, inoculation methods. Espectro de resistência de seis linhagens elites de arroz de terras altas a Pyricularia griseaResumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o espectro de resistência de seis linhagens elites de arroz de terras altas, desenvolvidas para maior produtividade e qualidade superior de grãos, através de testes de inoculação em casa de vegetação e no campo. Nos testes de inoculação, foram utilizados 96 isolados de Pyricularia grisea, sendo 46 provenientes da cultivar Primavera, 31 da cultivar Maravilha e 19 de seis linhagens elites. Os patótipos internacionais IC-1 e IB-9, e os patótipos brasileiros BD-16 foram identificados como mais freqüentes entre os isolados coletados da cultivar Primavera. Os isolados da cultivar Maravilha pertenceram a quatro patótipos internacionais e a 11 patótipos brasileiros com predominância de IB-9, IB-49, BB-1 e BB-21, respectivamente. Enquanto as linhagens CNA s 8711 e CNA s 8983 apresentaram reações de resistência para todos os isolados oriundos da cultivar Maravilha, CNA s 8983 mostrou reação suscetível para três isolados de Primavera, pertencentes ao patótipo IC-1. A maioria dos isolados que apresentaram reações compatíveis com a cultivar Primavera foram incompatíveis com a cultivar Maravilha e vice-versa. As avaliações no campo mostraram diferenças significativas entre as linhagens com relação à área sob curva de progresso da brusone nas folhas. Os isolados de P. grisea que apresentaram reações diferenciais nas linhagens podem ser utilizados para a piramidação de genes em novas cultivares de arroz de terras altas.Termos pa...

Rice is one of the staple foods consumed worldwide, and rice breeding programs have become important to warrant high yield levels and grain quality in upland rice. This study aimed at insights on the genetic variability of 30 elite genotypes from a VCU trial, of the upland rice breeding program of Embrapa, using 25 SSR markers. One hundred and thirtyone alleles were obtained, an average of 5.2 alleles per locus, and mean PIC equal to 0.61. The results indicated that genetically different elite parents from the breeding program and selection in segregating families have given rise to broadbased rice genotypes. Analyzing different combinations of 10 SSR markers, we observed that the use of more informative markers is essential to explain the genetic divergence consistently with the pedigree of each rice genotype.